Winding machine



June 19, 1956 c. A. FREELAND WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 23, 1954 I H I 1' WI June 19, 1956 c. A. FREELAND WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1954 MAB W I O r a JT 0 o o z y o 7 6 g; W, O

June 19, 1956 c. A. FREELAND 2,751,160

WINDING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1954 4 Sheets-5heet 3 June 19, 1956 c. A. FREELAND 2,751,160 WINDING MACHINE I Filed April 23, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I x Q N J N N:

lrw enfzr Q [AJr/QSA- V yw/ I 2,751,160 WINDING MACHINE Charles Alfred Freeland, Tunbridge Wells, England, assignor to J. Rawson & Sons Limited, Tunbridge Wells, England Application April 23, 1954, Serial No. 425,291 24 Claims. (Cl. 242--27) The invention consists in a machine for the purpose described in which the release or removal of a fully wound article and the feeding, positioning and securing in the machine of an empty article is effected by fluid pressure actuated devices and means 18 provided for the sequence of operation of said devices. of the articles is preferably effected by separating the centres between which ing.

The invention further comprises a machine according to the preceding paragraph in which the winding operation is re-started by means actuated by one or other of the aforementioned fluid actuated devices.

According to a further feature of the invention the fluid actuated devices comprise pistons and one or more of said pistons is arranged to control the operation of another piston thereby to determine the sequence of operations. Conveniently this may be elfected by the piston uncovering a port in its cylinder which admits fluid to another cylinder for actuating the piston therein.

The invention also comprises a machine according to either of the two preceding paragraphs including means for severing the end of the wound material, and means for holding the severed end and for securing the same to the empty article previous to winding.

According to a further feature of the invention there is provided a magazine for empty articles such as pirns rack and an associated movable rack which can be actuated periodically to move the series of articles one stage upwardly whereby the uppermost article is delivered to means adapted for positioning the article in the machine. For this purpose each of the racks is provided with pivoted holding levers which are displace-able out of the path of the article or articles moving past them.

According to a further feature of the invention, severing of the material from the fully wound article is effected by stationary and movable cutting blades, preferably of scissors'form, and means such as a spring loaded roller is arranged to hold or trap the material in association with the movable blade so that the end of the material is held preparatory to being secured to the empty article for winding thereon. The spring loaded holding means or roller is also adapted to assist in the severing operatron.

In a preferred arrangement the article, e. g. a pirn, is held between centres for winding, one of the centres being exchange of articles. According to a centres for dilferent article lengths.

The invention also comprises means, actuated by one by a catch which is disengaged stopping of the drive. Preferably means is provided for delaying the initial movement of the first operated fluid come to rest before the wound article is released from its centres.

centres until the material or yarn has been severed, such means being preferably actuated to effect discharge of the article by means associated with movement of the magazine.

etfecting the re-starting of the driving spindle of the machine after all the operations required for exchanging the full article for an empty article have been performed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation of the magazine and pirn feeding means of a pirn winding machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the machine, partly in section, showing the magazine and pirn feeding means in position;

Figure 3 is a side eleavtion of the winding machine from the side to which the magazine and pirn feeding means are attached;

Figure 4 is an elevation machine;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are side and end elevations of a hydraulic device 'for controlling operation of the pirn changing means;

Figure 7a is a detail of the hydraulic device Figure 8 is a diagram showing the flow paths in the hydraulic device of Figures 5, 6 and 7;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the yarn severing means;

Figure 10 is a view of a mechanism for actuating the motor switch.

of the opposite side of the In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode, described as applied by way of example to a pirn winding machine as described in U. S. Patent No. 2,603,424, there is provided on one side of the machine a magazine and pirn feeding means capable of holding a desired number of empty pirns horizontally in a vertical series. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the feeding means comprises a frame consisting of a pair of spaced vertical members 1 and 2 and cross members 3 and 4 secured thereto. A shield plate 5 is secured to the frame which is supported by mounting strips 6 lying parallel with the frame. These strips are joined to further strips 7 lying at right angles to the strips 6 and secured by bolts 7a to the end frame of the machine. The lower part of the frame is similarly connected to the machine by strips. A pair of spaced vertical bars are secured to the frame by brackets 10. Rack levers 11 are pivotally mounted on the bars to form a vertical series and extend outwardly from the bars as seen in Figure 2, these levers being retained in inclined position by stops 12. The rack levers 11 disposed in horizontal pairs, each pair being adapted to support an empty pirn which rests in the angle formed between the inclined upper edge of the rack lever and the vertical edge of the member 9. The horizontal spacing of the vertical members 9 can be varied by adjusting the brackets 10 to take pirns of various sizes. A vertical guide plate 13 is secured to the left hand side of the frame as viewed in Figure l and is arranged to extend upwardly. This guide plate 13 enables a series of pirns on the rack levers 11 to be aligned vertically with their ends engaging the plate. Located between the vertical rack bars 9 is a vertically guided movable raclt comprising a pair of vertical spaced bars 15 (Figure 1) connected by cross members 16 to which they are attached by brackets 17. These vertical bars 15 carry pivoted rack levers 18 on their inner sides, these rack levers being similar to the rack levers 11 and similarly maintained in inclined position by stops 19. Secured to the movable rack and extending below it is an operating bar 19' having a lower horizontal portion 20 by means of which it can be lifted to raise the movable rack.

Pirns are fed to the lower part of the fixed and movable racks from a magazine consisting of a pair of sheet metal guides 21 and 22 each of which is channel shaped in plan with the open ends of the channels facing each other and of widths suitable for receiving the opposite ends of a vertical series of pirns. Each of the channel shaped guides 21, 22 is curved inwardly as shown at 23 in Figure 2 towards the lower end of the fixed and movable rack frames and is supported by a horizontal member 24 connected by vertical members 25 (one of which is shown in Figures 1 and 2) to a lower horizontal member 26 connected to the fixed frame by a cross member 27. The channel guide 21 is also connected at its upper end to the fixed frame by a cross member 28. The arrangement is such that empty pirns can be stacked between the channel guides 21 and 22 so that as viewed in Figure 1 they slope upwardly from right to left, each pirn resting upon the top of the one below it. A stop plate 29 controls the travel of the pirns from the lower inwardly inclined ends 23 of the channel shaped guides forming the magazine. When the lowermost pirn reaches the stop plate it can be received upon the lowermost pair of rack levers 18 on the movable rack when the latter is moved upwardly as will be described. When the movable rack is given an upward move ment by operation of the bar 19', the pirn resting upon the lowermost rack levers is lifted and engages the pair of rack levers above it on the fixed rack so that the said levers are displaced upwardly, this movement being facilitated by the chamfering of the lower edges of the levers as seen in Figure 2. The movement of the movable rack is sufiicient to enable the fixed rack levers to fall back again into their initial position as determined by the stops 12 so that when the movable rack is lowered, the pirn will be received upon said fixed rack levers. Thus by 4 vertical reciprocation of the movable rack, each pirn is caused to travel upwardly in stages, each stage corresponding to the vertical distance between the pairs of rack levers on the stationary rack.

The general arrangement of the pirn winding machine is shown in Figures 3 and 4, where and 36 are the fixed uprights and 37 is the displaceabie carriage upon which is mounted the thread guide 33 (Figure 4) and the conical feeler member 39 which controls the winding operation. The pirn centres are at 40 and M. When an empty pirn has been raised by upward movement of the melt above the uppermost pair of rack levers on the stationary rack as previously described it is received by a pair of horizontally spaced transfer members 42, 33 (Figures 2 and 3) mounted on blocks 44, carried by a bar 46 secured to a lever 47 which is mounted on a horizontal shaft 43 carried in suitable brackets on the machine frame (Figure 3). Each transfer member comprises a bar (42 or 43) extending away from the vertical plane of the magazine and inclined downwardly towards the pirn holding centres 40, 41 of the machine and having at its lower end a stop or upwardly extending part 42a, 43a which lies at right angles to the bar. The upper ends of the stationary vertical members 9 carrying the rack levers are inclined towards the aforesaid centres as shown at 49 in Figure 2. In one position of the transfer members 42, 43 these are located just below the inclined ends 49 of the rack members 9. The arrangement is such that with the transfer levers in the above-mentioned position, upward displacement of the rack brings the uppermost empty pirn above the ends 49 of the fixed rack members 9 and the pirn will roll down the said inclined ends and the transfer members 42, 43 until held by the stops 42a 43:: on the latter.

The transfer members can then be swung by actuation of their shaft 48 to bring the ends of the empty pirn between the pirn holding centres 4t 41 of the machine which have previously been separated for this purpose.

Separation of the pirn-holding centres to discharge a fully wound pirn and receive an empty pirn is effected by withdrawing one of the centres 48' which is carried by an axially displaceable spindle 49 and is loaded by a spring 5t) (Figure 4). This centre is described in U. 8. Patent specification No. 2,603,429. Withdrawal of the centre is effected by a fork member 51 (see Figure 4) adapted to engage over a disc 52 on the retractible part 53 of the centre. The fork member 51 is secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 54 (see Figure 3) rotatable in brackets 55, 56 which are attached to the displaceabic tailstock 57 on which the pirn centre it? is carried. A crank (not shown) on the lower end of the shalt 54 has a pin 58 which is engageable by a horizontal rod 59 (Figure '3) extending parallel with the pirn centres and carried by lever arms 60 on a horizontal operating shaft 61. This arrangement permits adjustment of the tailstock to suit different sizes of pirns without affecting actuation of the centre retracting means described above.

Means is provided for returning the slidable support or carriage 37 for the displaccable thread guide 3% to its initial position after a fully wound pirn has been relcased from the centres, and this movement also brings the yarn or thread, which is still attached to the full pirn, into the neighbourhood of the driving centre 41. This displacement of the support or carriage is effected by a lever 62, Fig. 4 h ving a fixed pivot at m. A block 64 attached to the upper end of said lever carries an extension 65 having a slotted end 66 engaged over a pin 67 secured to the slidable support 37. Also secured to the lever 62 is an arm 68 to the end of which is attached one end of a return spring 69 anchored at 70. A connection on the lever 62- at 71 is made to the actuating means to be described later.

Means is also provided for severing the yarn or thread from the full pirn and for holding the severed end in the required position to enable it to be trapped between the end of the empty pirn and the driving centre, ready for winding. The severing operation is ter of scissors form comprising a stationary blade 72 supported horizontally by a bracket 73 in the neighbourhood of the driving centre 41 which can move when actuated by a pin 78 engaged within a guide rod It is to be noted displaced to place an the means for withdrawing the movable pirn centre. Figures 2 and 3) carries a pin 89 which is located beneath the operating bar 20 (Figures 1 and 2) of the movable rack.

The various operations required a fully wound pirn and its replacement by an empty Referring to Figures 5 to 8, the valve 91 controls an oil supply 92 from a suitable pump (not shown) and has an operating rod 92a loaded by a spring 93 (Figure 6) which holds the valve in open position as shown in Figure 8. When the valve 91 is in closed position it opens a vent 94 to discharge oil from the hydraulic device. The valve 91 is opened as a result of the stopping of the machine spindle and supply port 95 through which oil is admitted through a line 96 to a first cylinder 97 to actuate a piston 98 therein The piston 98 has a rod 99 which is arranged to engage a pin 990 on a crank arm ries a bar 59 by arms 60, said bar actuating an arm 58 and thereby operating the vertical shaft 54 carrying the fork member for withdrawing centre.

valve 102 so that initial movement of the slow and the operative connection is arranged so that the ot' the Wind- Further movement of the piston 98 uncovers a first cylinder port 103 communicating with a passage which atfords a direct connection between the open valve 91 and the cylinder, thereby bypassing the restriction. The resulting more rapid movement of the piston 98 effects the withdrawal of the pirn centre 40 by the previously described mechanism so that containing a piston 106 having a rod 107 provided with an oil seal 108 of bellows type (Figure 5). The eye 109 rod 107 is connected at 71 port 110 in its cylinder which communicates, through a non-return valve 111 and passage 112, with a third cylinder 113 containing a piston 114 having a rod 115. The la er is arranged to actuate a pin 133 (Figures 2 and 3) which actuates the transfer lever 47 through lever 123 cylinder 97. Since the oil supply to the third cylinder 113 is through the non-return valve 111, its piston 114 cannot return at this stage. The first cylinder 97 also cylinder 97 at this time, but the piston 106 is not returned until winding is commenced.

As previously explained, the oil control valve 91 is urged towards open position by a loading spring 93 (Figure 6). The valve ures 2 and 7) engageable by a pin on a pivoted bell a. pin 133 on the actuating arm 123 of the transfer lever 47 when this is moved to place anempty pirn between the machine centres, and thereby to disengage the catch lever from the valve rod collar 126. When the catch lever 124 is disposed to the right of the said collar 126 as seen in Figure 5, the valve is held closed, but after the above operation the catch lever will be held to the left of the collar 126 to hold the valve open. The periphery of the collar 126 is of conical or tapered shape as shown in Figure so that there is imparted to the catch lever 124 an additional outward movement as the valve moves to open position, thereby making certain that the motor switch is fully opened. The valve being open, the first, second, and third pistons will be actuated in sequence as previously described. The third piston rod 115 (Figure 3) engages the pin 133 on the actuating arm 123 of the rod 48 and thereby actuates the transfer lever 47. This action stresses the spring 122 connecting the arm 123 with the bell crank lever 121 so that the pin 12% on the latter bears on the valve rod flange 119 in valve closing direction. On the final movement of the lever arm 123 the pin 133 thereon engages the inclined face 132 on the valve catch lever 124 and actuates it to disengage the valve rod which returns the valve to closed position under the action of the stressed spring 122 which overcomes the action of the valve loading spring. Figure 5 shows the sealing arrangements for the actuating ends of piston rods 99 and 115, the sealing means comprising a flexible bellows.

Referring to Figure 3, a wound pirn when released from the machine centers falls into a chute indicated by broken lines 135 and having a downwardly inclined base 136. An opening at the lower end of the chute is normally closed by a trap door 137 pivoted at 138 and having an actuating arm 139. It will be understood that this pirn still carries the yarn or thread, which requires to be severed before the pirn is finally discharged by opening the trap door. The door 137 is held in pirn retaining position by a pivoted latch 140 which engages the door arm 139. At this time the carriage is in position to commence winding, i. c. it lies to the left as viewed in Figure 3. Pivoted pawl 141 on the carriage abuts a stop 142 and when the carriage has moved a short distance after winding has commenced the pawl engages an arm 14?) on the latch 140 to raise the latch and thereby allow the door 137 to fall and discharge the wound pirn. The pawl 141 has an inclined face 144 and is arranged so that it does not operate the latch when the carriage is displaced in the opposite direction. The door is returned to pirn holding position at the appropriate time by an actuating member attached to the movable magazine rack, arranged to engage and lift the door so that its arm 139 is held by the latch 140 when the rack is raised. The actuating member for this purpose consists of a rod 145 having a bent end 146 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the end 146 being engageable beneath the door 137.

The mechanism for re-starting the driving motor of the machine is shown in Figure 10. The motor switch 147 has an actuating rod 148 having a collar 149 which can be engaged by a lever 150 pivoted at 151. The shaft 43 which actuates the transfer lever 47 has an actuating arm 152. At the same time that the empty pirn is placed between the centres by movement of the transfer lever 47 the actuating arm 152 is carried beyond the lip 150a of the trip the trip only being displaced and is returned by the spring 15% so that the actuating arm 152 is now positioned in front of the lip. When the actuating arm 152 is returned to its initial position it strikes the lip of the trip and causes it to move radially which in turn angularly displaces the lever 150 which movement is transferred by the pivot 151 to the opposite end of the lever 15% and pulls the switch rod 148 thereby engaging the switch.

The sequence of operations involved in the exchanging of a fully wound pirn for an empty pirn and the restarting of the machine will now be briefly described. The first operation is initiated by the travel of the carriage 37 to an end position which by action of the cam the lever arm 123 to be depressed and also etlects stopping of the motor by opening the switch. time the valve rod catch lever 12% is disengaged and the valve is opened to actuate the first piston 93 of the hydraulic device. The second operation comprises actuation by the first piston rod 99 of the pin 99a on an arm 99b attached to shaft 61 (see Figure 3) which swings the rod 59 and rotates the shaft 54 to release the wound irn. At the same time the pin 89 connected to the shaft 61 raises the movable magazine rack by engagement with the bar 19, 20 (Figure 2), thereby placing an empty pirn on the transfer members 43, the latter operation also closing the trap door 137 which retains the wound pirn in its guide as previously described. The

third operation comprises the actuation by the second piston tee of the lever 62 for returning the carriage to its initial position for commencing the winding of the new pirn, this operation also returning the yarn end to the neighbourhood of the driving centre. The fourth operation comprises actuation by the third piston lid of the transfer lever 47 to position the empty pirn between the machines centres, also trapping the end of the yarn by the spring loaded roller 76 and severing the yarn from the fully wound pirn. The fifth operation comprises the return of the first piston 98 to secure the empty pirn between the machine centres and also to trap the yarn end between the empty pirn and the driving centre. The sixth operation comprises the lowering of the movable magazine rack so that the empty pirns are returned to the fixed rack, this being effected by the return of the first piston 98. The seventh operation comprises the restarting of the driving motor which is effected by the return of the third piston and the transfer lever which actuates mechanism for closing the motor switch as previously described. The eighth operation comprises the discharging of the fully wound pirn by opening of the trap door which is effected after the winding operation has caused the siidable carriage to travel a short distance.

The pressure oil for operating the hydraulic devices can be derived from any convenient pressure source, for example a pump may be provided for each machine or for a series of machines. Oil vented from the cylinders is returned to a sump and the hydraulic system is thus an open one so that air locks do not afiect the operation of the devices.

By this invention there is provided a relatively simple and reliable machine in which all the operations incidental to the exchanging of a fully wound article for an empty article can be performed automatically without assistance from an attendant. The invention has been described as applied to a winding machine according to U. S. Patent No. 2,603,424 but is not restricted thereto and may be used for other types of machines. Also the invention can be used with machines where the article carrier is displaced instead of the guide support or carriage and is not restricted to the sequence of operations described in the above example. It will also be understood that the machine can be provided with means for stopping the driving spindle in the event of yarn breakage, as is usual in such machines, without setting into operation the automatic change mechanism. Also the machine may be driven by means other than an electric motor if this is desired.

1 claim:

1. A winding machine comprising, in combination, means for rotatably supporting an article for winding, means operable to release a fully wound article from said supporting means, means for feeding and positioning an empty article for reception in said supporting means, at least two fiuid actuated devices for respectively operating the releasing means for a fully wound article and the feeding and positioning means, and means controlled by movement of the first fluid actuated device for controlling fluid supplied to the second said device 139 causes At the same 3. A machine according to claim 1, comprising control means for initiating operation of the fluid actuating devices and means for delaying the initial movement of the first fluid actuated device.

4. A machine according to claim 3, in which the delaying means is adjustable to enable duration of the delay to be varied as desired.

5. A machine according to claim 1, comprising means for stopping the drive of the machine when the article is fully wound, means operated upon actuation of said stopping means for initiating operation of the fluid actuating devices, and means for delaying the initial movement of the first actuating device to allow the machine means operated upon actuation of said switch to stop the drive for initiating operation of the fluid actuated devices, and means which the first fluid actuated device comprises a piston movable in a cylfor controlling admission of pressure fluid through a passage to the piston, adjustable restriction means in said passage, and a second passage in communication with said first passage leading to a port in the cylinder which is uncovered by movement of the piston and which Dy-passes said restriction means, whereby initial movement of the piston is delayed until the piston has uncovered said port, such delay being for the purpose of allowing the machine to come to rest after initiation of an article changing operation before the fully wound article is released.

9. A machine according to claim 1, in which the fluid actuated devices are comprised in a self-contained unitary structure attached to the machine.

10. A machine according to claim 1, in which the fluid actuated devices and in which means operated by one of the fluid actuated devices for withdrawing the said centre includes intermaterial and assisting 14. A machine according to claim 1, comprising stationary and movable cutter blades for severing the material from a fully wound article, spring loaded roller means arranged to exert pressure on the cutter blades to the centre and the article. according to claim 1, in which the received by the said positioning means.

17. A machine according to claim 1, in which the ranged to be stressed by movement of to position an article in the machine for winding, said spring being so associated with the valve mechanism that 11 it returns the valve to closed position when the article has been positioned for winding.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising means actuated by one of the fluid actuated devices for severing the material from a fully wound article, means for preventing discharge of an article released from the machine after its release from winding centres until the material has been severed, and means controlled by one of the fluid actuated devices for actuating said retaining means to effect discharge of the article.

20. A machine according to claim 1, comprising separable centres for supporting the article during winding, a slidable support carrying said centres, fixed and reciprocable article racks operable to feed articles in succesion for positioning between said winding centres, retaining means for preventing discharge of an article released from the winding centres until the material has been severed, means operated by movement of said slidable support during the winding operation for setting said retaining means in article retaining potition, and means operated by an article feeding movement of the reciprocable article rack for releasing said retaining means to discharge the article.

21. A machine according to claim 1, comprising means for stopping and starting the machine drive, said means being actuated to start the drive from one of the fluid actuated devices when all the operations required for exchanging a full article for an empty article have been performed.

12 22. A machine according to claim 1, in which the fluid actuated devices comprise a first piston operatively connected to means for releasing a fully wound article from winding centres, control valve means for admitting pressure fluid to operate said piston, means controlled by movement of said first piston for admitting pressure fluid therefrom to a second piston operatively connected to means for returning a slidable support carrying the winding centres to a position for commencing winding, means controlled by movement of said second piston to admit the pressure fluid to a third piston opcratively connected to means for positioning an empty article between the winding centres.

23. A machine according to claim 22, in which movement of the said third piston closes the control valve means and opens a vent to discharge fluid from the first piston, the third piston being maintained under pressure by a non-return valve in its supply passage.

24. A machine according to claim 23, in which return movement of the first piston ettects discharge of pressure fluid from the third piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 

